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part 2)
We’re ALIVE ! again !! Sean Henwood – SVAO
A club for the Kit Car enthusiast in Ontario, the Ontario Handcrafted Vehicle Club, brings together the people who want to build and drive unique handcrafted vehicles and share their knowledge and experience with others.
The main goal of the club is to preserve our hobby. We are currently threatened by the many changing regulations proposed to help curb street racing, new underwriting guidelines adopted by all the insurance companies that state they are no longer writing NEW business policies for modified cars and MTO guidelines to register KIT CARS as current model year, make our cars very difficult to insure. With the Insurance problem being a North American problem, not just an Ontario problem, many States are now adopting new Custom / Hot Rod Legislation which deals with the year of registration and emissions issues. As a club we are searching to find a solution so we can continue to enjoy our cars and share them with others and welcome any suggestions, comments or input from all those affected.
[graphic removed] This, That, and the Other ThingJean-Pierre Matte - SVAO
Insurance WoesLet me start with a little story about car insurance. I am 41 years old, have an exemplary driving record, have owned a 1971 240Z since 1984, and since 1985 it has been insured with The Co-operators Insurance Co. Since I arrived in the GTA in 1991, the insurance people here have had me take the car to their office at the start of every driving season so they could take some pictures of it (inside and out). My representative retired last year. Recently I called The Co-operators about renewing the Z’s insurance for the summer. A younger rep replaced the one who handled my policy since 1991. I noticed the value of the car showing on the policy was not the same as in the appraisal I had presented them with in 2001. The rep dug deep in the file and found it, correcting the dollar value of the car. When she looked in my file and saw the pictures they had taken, the tone of her voice changed dramatically.
She had suddenly come to the brilliant conclusion that my car was “modified” and that the Underwriter may have a problem with this. I have to think that the thought that I was a “street racer” must have crossed her mind. The rep called me back the next day advising me that the Underwriter would not allow this vehicle to be insured under the same type of policy (occasionally driven hobby vehicle…not driven to work) but would have to be insured under a significantly more expensive policy. Needless to say I will be cancelling my policy with them (not that they’ll mind).
It’s obvious that the Underwriter is not a big fan of “The Fast and the Furious”, and that they obviously thought I had a starring role in that film. Yeah, the car is reasonably fast, and now I am really furious. The problem I have isn’t so much that I’ll have to get insurance elsewhere, rather it is the fact that the people at this insurance firm knew my vehicle and photographed it since 1991, and never said anything. If I were unfortunate enough to have been involved in an accident, it is quite likely that they would not have been able to deliver what the policy promised. In essence I have been fulfilling the legal requirement mandated by the government to have insurance, insurance that it turns out would likely not have been worth the paper it was printed on. Another thing to be aware of that was never brought to my attention by the insurer is that there are two types of policies, 19 & 19A. My friend, Nigel White, was researching insurance for his own vehicle, when he came across this interesting piece of critically important information. If you have a policy with 19 on the form, the appraised value of the vehicle is subject to re-evaluation by the insurer. This is the type of policy that I had. 19A means that the appraised value will stand, though I have to believe you would likely have to get the vehicle re-appraised every couple of years to keep it current. Bottom line is this… I would call whoever it is that insures your car, and ask some pointed questions, because it is quite possible that the insurance you have isn't quite what you thought it was. I still have many other policies with these people and I will be setting up a meeting with the owner to discuss these issues, and voice my absolute displeasure about these matters.
The Big FinishHere are a few more details to let everyone know how the story ends. I had heard about Tony Lant’s Custom Wheels Insurance plan, and it sounded like it would be my salvation. I spoke to them over the phone, described the car to them and what it was I required in terms of car insurance. They advised me to come up with my appraisal to sign some forms, no problem, I am on my way. To make a long story short, they had no problem insuring the vehicle, if I removed each and every sticker that is on it. They cannot insure a “commercial” vehicle. Despite the fact that I was willing to put in writing, that I am not sponsored by anyone in any way shape or form, they would not relent. “Remove the stickers or no insurance”, that was from Tony Lant, the company president himself.
[graphic removed] I went home with the half completed insurance forms, getting psyched up for some heavy duty sticker removal. Not yet having removed a single sticker, the next morning I called The Co-operators (still my insurance company for my daily driver… and I’m really starting to think the name of their company is somewhat inappropriate) just to see what they could do re insuring the Z, as they said they had come up with a new policy which was substantially more expensive.
Turns out they were willing to insure the car as is, on the less desirable “19” form (which leaves you at higher risk for devaluation of your appraised vehicles value) for what, at this point, seemed like a reasonable amount - $661.00 for 6months, and I don’t have to remove the stickers. I say do it, here’s my Mastercard number.
Bill Husar, Eastern VP and certifiable car nut, wanted me to call him with a progress report so I did. He said he has his “fleet” insured with The Co-operators, and that he has a contact he’ll talk to re the problems I am having. He called back, they could do nothing, but his contact there referred him to a company where her son has his truck insured.
You may want to note this: A. McAfee & Associates Insurance Brokers Ltd. Tel: 705 726 9941 - ask for Mary Lou Ryan.
They were more than happy to insure my vehicle for less than half of what The Co-operators wanted, on the 19-A form and the stickers stay on! They actually did better for my daily driver as well. Needless to say nothing I own is insured with The Co-operators anymore.
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